Wash-box seal for gas generating sets



Feb.24, 1942. c. J. ySMITH Y 2,274,006

WASH-BOX SEAL FOR GAS GENERATING SETS Filed March 7.- 19:59

4 is z/113 Patented Feb. 24, 1942 WASH-BOX SEAL IS`OR 'GAS GENERATING ETS charles; smith, Clarkston, s. o. Application March :7, 1939,l Serial "N0. 260,439

6 Claims.

This .invention relates in general to wash boxes or water seals of the type utilized in gas generator sets, or the like. Water gas generator sets comprise a generator, preheater and a Wash box, or a generator, a carburetor, a superheater and a Wash box, the latter serving as a seal for the water gas and also to remove tar, pitch, dust, coke breeze, and other precipitable or removable products carried over -by the water lgas as it leaves the set. The blast gases from the #superheater do not pass through the wash box but pass into a stack at the top of the superheater. During the yoperation of the set, liquid and solid products as aforesaid, accumulate in thel wa'sh box, and from time to time must be removed. In `the operation of such sets the valves are operated in sequence by sequential control apparatus therefor.

Objects of the invention are the modification of wash boxes of the character set forth having inclined bottoms, such as conical bottoms, inl 1a manner permitting cleaning of the boxes intermittently without lowering the normal liquid level, and by a cleaning action rin the natureIof a syphon or a regurgitory action in which the liquid is returned to or above its original'liquid level during the cleaning operation; and the invention has vfor other objects such other improvements in construction yor operation, as `may be found to obtain in the apparatus hereinafter described or claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification and showing, for purposes of exemplilcation, a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a Wash box constructed in accordance with the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same together with other elements, shown diagrammatically, to indicate a Water gas set and sequential control means therefor and for the wash box.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention there is shown diagrammatically a water gas set comprising a generator IILcarbureter II, superheater I2, wash box I3 and sequential control means I4 therefor, such as the means of Stone Patent No. 1,670,911. The wash box I3 comprises a substantially closed round tankl com Aprising an upper part with a vertical side wall I5 and an inclined bottom -I'6 inthe .form vof a @one with the apex I-I lower than the 'ba'se lII' `inthe top `of the receptacle I3.

of vthe cone. The gases coming from the superheater I2 (or other source) are led into the wash box through a dip-pipe I8, lower gas-inlet I8. The gas after passing into the liquid bubbles up and flows out through the upper gas-outlet I9 A suitable Washing liquid, such as water or the spent liquid effluent of the water gas set is fed into the Wash box through the liquid inlet means 2| therefor. Normal wash-liquid level overflow outlet 22, which communicates with the wash box I3 through opening 33 in the shell, maintains the normal water level at a point above the level of rthe outlet I8' for the gas inlet I8.

An inclined tar-discharge dip-pipe 23 is provided so as to have its inlet 24 communicate with the wash box near the lower part of the inclined bottom, at tthe lower apex Il, and so as to have its discharge end 25 at a level above the normal level A2li, and especially have the lowermost part 2l of outlet 25 Vat least as high as the highest part of the outlet for normal liquid-level overfiow conduit 22. The tar discharge dip-pipe 23 and the normal liquid level -overow pipe 22 both are sealed, as shown, in the same seal pot 23 by dip-pipes 28. A pressure equalizing conduit system 29 connects the top of the tar discharge pipe 23, the gas space above the normal liquidlevel overflow pipe 22and the .gas space I3 in the top of the wash box with each other, for equalizing Ithe gas pressures on the surface of the liquid in the respective chambers and conduits. A valve 3l is provided in the normal liquid-level overflow conduit 22 for intermittently or periodically closing the conduit 22 to overflow.

Preferably, the valve 3l is an hydraulically operated, instead of hand operated, valve connected with the sequential control I4 through lines 32 so that the valve is operated every water gas cycle to close during the air blasting period and open during the water gas run period of each cycle. A screen 32 is placed over the top' of the cone. It serves two purposes. First, it prevents any large particles of carbon or other solid material from collecting in the bottom I6 of the cone and plugging up the tar-discharge pipe 23.

Secondly, due to the vigorous bubbling action and water currents that occur during the watergas making period, that is, during the steam runs, any large lumps of carbon or other foreign material which may get into the wash box, are 'broken up, as they roll around on the screen 32, into pieces small enough that they can `be carried out through the overows, Aespecially -overiiow 23.

In normal operation, the Water comes out through the overflow 22 with valve 3| open. In this Way, considerable tar and other material heavier than water accumulates in the bottom of the wash box and stays in the conical bottom. A hand operated valve was first used instead of the hydraulically operated valve shown. Once or twice each day, at the end of the workmens shift, the valve 3| was closed, while the water was still allowed to run in through the inlet. This causes the water to accumulate and raise the water level in the box until the tar flows up through the tar-discharge dip-pipe 23 and overflows at 25. This operation is continued until suiiicient water-head has accumulated in the box to cause tar, tar and water emulsion, and any material collected in the cone bottom of the wash box, to flow from the wash box through pipe 23 and until the Water comes up and overflows at the overflow level 21 of the tardischarge dip-pipe 23. The valve 3| is then opened, the wash box liquid seal level readjusts itself automatically to the level of the top of 22 and operation is continued in the usual manner with overflow through pipe 22. Preferably, however, I utilize the hydraulically operated valve instead of the hand operated valve I formerly used. This hydraulic valve 3| I connect with the sequential control mechanism I4 as above described, so that the valve 3| is operated every cycle, to closeduring the blast period, and to open during the steam run period. Suiiicient water is used through 2|, between the closing of the valve 3| and the end of the blast period, to cause the overow to occur through the tar-discharge dip-pipe 23, purging the wash box of tar. 4

At the end of the blast period the tar is all cleaned from the base I6 of the box I3 and the valve 3| is opened by the sequential control I4, in the usual manner with such controls, and the gas making proceeds in the usual manner. Wash boxes which I constructed and operated for sequential control as aforesaid are in perfect condition, and I have not had to clean them otherwise at all, as I did theretofore. Such use o' the hydraulically operated valve 3| has taken the responsibility of operation away from the gas maker, and also saves about 30 minutes a day for useful gas making which was formerly consumed in purging the box at the end of each shift.

'Ihe invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in a particular form of construction but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

Iclaim:

1. A wash box with an inclined bottom; a gas inlet to and a gas outlet from the wash box; two alternative wash-liquid overow outlets for the wash box one above the other, the lower overflow outlet communicating with the box at a level above the gas inlet and being controlled by a valve, and the upper overflow outlet having a syphoning effect.

2. A wash box with an inclined bottom; a gas inlet to and a gas outlet from the wash box; two alternative wash-liquid overflow outlets for the wash box one above the other, the lower overow outlet communicating with the box at a level above the gas inlet and being controlled by a valve, and the upper overflow outlet having a syphoning effect; seal means for said overflow outlets; and means for equalizing the gas presy sure between the wash box and the liquid overow outlets.

3. A gas generator set wash box comprising: a receptacle with a conical bottom having its apex below the base of the cone; a gas inlet to and a gas outlet from said receptacle above the upper part of the base of the cone; means for introducing wash liquid into said receptacle; a normal wash-liquid level overow outlet leading from the receptacle at a level above the gas inlet but below the gas outlet; a valve for controlling the flow through the normal liquid level overflow outlet; an inclined tar-discharge overflow dip-pipe extending into the conical bottom, communicating at its lower part with the interior of the receptacle near the lower apex of the cone and having its overflow outlet at its upper part at a level above the level of the outlet of the normal liquid level overow outlet so that when the latter is closed by its valve the wash-liquid will flow instead down along the conical sides to the lower apex thence up with accumulated tar through the dip-pipe to overflow at its upper outlet; and seal means for the overow outlets.

4. A gas generator set wash box comprising: a receptacle with a conical bottom having its apex below the base of the cone; a gas inlet to and a gas outlet from said receptacle above the upper part of the base of the cone; means for introducing wash liquid into said receptacle; a normal wash-liquid level overflow outlet leading from the receptacle at a level above the gas inlet but below the gas outlet; a valve for controlling the ow through the normal liquid level overflow outlet; an inclined tar-discharge overflow dip-pipe extending into the conical bottom, communicating at its lower part with the interior of the receptacle near the lower apex of the cone and having its overflow outlet at its upper part at a level above the level of the outlet of the normal liquid level overflow outlet so that when the latter is closed by its valve the wash-liquid will ow instead down alongsthe conical sides to the lower apex thence up with accumulated tar through the dip-pipe to overflow at its upper outlet; seal means for the overflow outlets; and means for equalizing the gas pressure between the receptacle and the liquid overflows.

5. A gas generator set wash box comprising: a receptacle with an inclined bottom; a gas inlet to and a gas outlet from the receptacle; inlet means for wash-liquid to the wash box; a normal liquid level overow outlet from the receptacle, and a tar discharge outlet pipe; said normal overflow outlet having a valve for opening and closing the same and said tar discharge pipe having its inlet communicate with the interior of the receptacle near the lower part of the inclined bottom and having its outlet from the receptacle at a level above the level of the outlet of the normal liquid level overflow outlet; and seal means for the liquid overiiow outlets.

6. In apparatus for separating iiuid tar and sludge from hot water-gas newly made in a set comprising a generator having means for airblasting it to heat it up, means for steaming the generator to produce water-gas, a wash box connected with said set for oiftake of water-gas therefrom, and automatic sequence control means for automatically controlling the sequence of alternate operation of the means for air-blasting and means for steaming the generator, the combination of a conical bottom for the wash box with its apex below the base of the cone, two alternative overflow outlets for the wash-box one above the other, the lower communicating with the box at a level above the gas inlet and havingv a valve for opening and closing the flow therefrom, and the upper having a pipe communicating with the box near the apex of the conical bottom, and connections between the valve for the lower outlet and the automatic sequence control means for operating the valve by saidy CHARLES J. SMITH. 

